Korg KR mini portable rhythm machine announced

Korg KR mini

Korg KR mini

Korg KR mini

Nice speaker grill.

Battery-powerable and featuring a built-in speaker, this offers 60 rhythm patterns, 120 fills and the option to create your own beats using the 16 pads.

In a surprise move, Korg has announced the KR mini - a pocket-sized rhythm machine that's designed for practice and performance. Battery-powerable and featuring a built-in speaker, this offers 60 rhythm patterns, 120 fills and the option to create your own beats using the 16 pads.

The KR mini fits nicely into Korg's miniaturised instrument line, which was kicked off by the monotron in 2010. However, the rhythm machine concept is such an old one that few would have predicted that the company would resurrect it now.

The device certainly has a retro design, but the fact that you can chain patterns and fill-ins together to create complete songs - and even trigger them with foot pedals - might just make it appeal to today's musicians.